The city government of Limeira, Brazil, has been held liable for R$ 20,000 in moral damages to the family of an 11-month-old baby who suffered second and third-degree burns during a meal at a municipal daycare center in 2019. The recent ruling by the São Paulo Court of Justice determined that the incident occurred due to a lack of supervision, as the staff member responsible for monitoring the children was not present at the time of the accident. This critical decision was made public on the court's official website this week.

According to the court documents, the baby sustained significant injuries during lunch at the Centro Infantil Irene Gomes Bortolan, highlighting serious safety concerns within the municipal facilities. Initially, the local public finance court required the city to compensate the family with R$ 25,000 for moral damages and an additional R$ 303 for material damages, but the municipality contested the ruling, arguing that there was no administrative fault in the incident.

In response to the court's decision, the city of Limeira stated that it has not yet been formally notified and is considering its options for appeal. This case raises important questions about the safety protocols in municipal daycare centers and the responsibilities of the local government to ensure adequate supervision and care for vulnerable populations, particularly young children entrusted to their facilities.